This invention relates generally to improvements in suction irrigator devices for use in endoscopic surgery. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved surgical endoscope designed for selectively irrigating or aspirating a surgical site, in combination with facilitating introduction of a surgical instrument to the site.
Endoscopic surgery is generally known in the art wherein surgical procedures are performed on a patient by manipulating one or more surgical instruments introduced to a surgical site through an elongated hollow tube. More particularly, one or more hollow tubes or endoscopes are passed through relatively small incisions to position distal ends thereof at selected positions within the body of a patient for purposes of performing a surgical procedure. Small surgical instruments are then passed through the tubes to access the surgical site and to perform the surgical procedure with minimal disruption and associated trauma to patient tissues. Typically, at least one of the surgical instruments comprises an optical fiber probe to illuminate the surgical site and permit viewing thereof on a television screen or monitor. A variety of additional small surgical instruments such as laser probes, cautery hooks, biopsy forceps, clamps, and the like have been adapted for use in endoscopic surgical procedures.
In performing endoscopic surgery, it is frequently necessary to deliver a fluid to the surgical site. For example, it is known to deliver a gas through an endoscopic tube for purposes of inflating a patient cavity and thereby facilitate subsequent introduction and manipulation of surgical instruments. Similarly, it is known to deliver an irrigation fluid to the surgical site, and/or to connect the endoscopic tube to a suction system for purposes of aspirating fluid from the patient. In a typical endoscopic surgical procedure, the need for fluid irrigation and aspiration can occur at different times.
In the past, surgical endoscopes have been developed to include means for irrigating or aspirating a surgical site via an endoscopic tube which may also be used for introducing a surgical instrument. In general, however, such suction irrigator endoscopes have included small valve members adapted for manual manipulation to connect the endoscope to an irrigation fluid source or to a hospital suction unit. The small valve members have been relatively difficult to manipulate, particularly by a surgeon or surgical staff member having large hands and fingers. Moreover, the valve members have been designed typically in a manner permitting simultaneous connection of the endoscope to an irrigation fluid and to the suction unit. Alternative endoscope designs aimed at preventing simultaneous suction/irrigation operation have undesirably been limited to use with flexible surgical instruments such as optical fiber cables and the like.
The present invention provides an improved suction irrigator endoscope designed for connecting an elongated endoscopic tube or cannula to an irrigation fluid, or alternately to an aspirator. The improved endoscope of the present invention positively precludes simultaneous connection of the cannula to the irrigation fluid source and aspirator, while permitting substantially unobstructed introduction through the cannula of any one of a wide range of available surgical instruments.